Geography of Triskaia
Geographic Features Lake Wyrmark - This is the heart of all commerce in Triskaia. At least half the population lives somewhere by the lake's shores. The water is very pleasant in the summer time, and fishing is a major industry. The central part of the lake is subject to intense storms, particularly in early winter. Dunwick Forest - This wooded area covers over half the landmass of Triskaia, although it hosts only a small proportion of the population. The main industries here are lumber and mushroom harvesting. In warm months, the woods are beautiful, and the fall of leaf at year's end is a sight to behold. But there are still dark creatures lurking in the forest, particularly to the north east. There are 13 Wyrwoods scattered around the forest. They are giant trees with branches that twist in every direction. They are the oldest things in the forest. It is rumoured they are but children of an even larger tree to the north east. Belcanus Mountains - These peaks are home to only a few scattered communities of Triskaians. The quarry to the north west side of the range is an essential source of stone for the country, but everything past that is treacherous and inhospitable. River Lassergard - Those who don't settle on the banks of Lake Wyrmark most prefer living on the River Lassergard. The dark waters host a variety of fish, and the fast currents are ideal for powering water wheels for textile mills. It takes skilled boatmen to navigate the river for any serious distance, however. River Norwyngard - This river does not (yet) fall within the official borders of Triskaia, but it is a favoured destination. Waters flow from the warmer climates up north, and bring with them exotic sea, animal, and plant life that cannot be found elsewhere in Triskaia. Clyfere (The Claw) - A cool river, with angular branching tributaries, that connects Lake Wyrmark to the Ceuldmyr Sea. Maintenance of the riverways are essential for trade to continue, but the rivermen who make home here have not yet been brought completely under Covenant authority. Cities Despite their reverence for nature, Triskaians have a definite fondness for urban living. Thus, their major cities are vast and bustling. They are popular trade centres, for the Covenant show themselves to be amenable economic partners. Even during their more insular and self-sufficient times, they were hospitable to traders who used their ports as a middle ground. The most interesting feature of the cities is that they are built as clusters of spirals, rather than in a conventional crossroad pattern. This means that travelling through cities always takes a long time. It is an endless frustration for traders, but suits the patient, circumspect nature of Triskaians quite well. Belwraith - The capital city of Triskaia, it was founded as a town by Bellatrix, Belladonna, and Beleza themselves in approximately 600 ATC. This is home to Belhaelecyne, the holy palace, which is the seat of power for the Witch-Priests, and, by extension, the government of Triskaia. This city is host of the Belumas festival every three years. It is the most populace city in the country, and one of the busiest trading centres. Belennishe - A smaller city than Belwraith, Belennishe sees the most traffic for its markets and trading hubs. Those who don't wish to make the journey northward along the edge of Lake Wyrmark will offload their cargo here, to be shipped northward by Triskaian merchants at a later time. Most of the citizens who live within the city are in some way engaged with trading and shipping. Belnorwyn - The warmest of all cities in Triskaia, it has gained the reputation as being a bit of a resort. Its population swells in the winter, and during warmer months it has a vibrant culture where people enjoy the warm beaches of the northern Wyrmark. There are a variety of products here that can't be found elsewhere in the country, either from being collected from River Norwyngard, or being brought by northern traders who with to go no further south. Belnorwyn has the wildest festivals of anywhere in the country (Belumas excepted), and is the only place where you can find alcohol served (though still only in secret). Bellasser - The second most populace city in Triskaia, Bellasser has a more rustic charm to it. Wood is much more common than stone, because buildings don't suffer the storms that they do on the lakeside. The city is spread much wider than any others, and it's unclear where Bellasser ends and surrounding villages begin. It is an important industrial centre, making use of the strong river current to power a network of water wheels, essential for the lumber and textile industries that are popular here. It also serves as a trade hub for any merchants heading from the east by river, rather than up from the ocean. Belgrimyr - This is a unique city in that it is older than Triskaia itself. The earliest community may have been founded here nearly a thousand years ago, when the ancestors of the Triskaians first fled into Dunwick Forest. It established itself as an independent trading hub for many years before finally being absorbed by the Covenant about three centuries ago. Because of its long history, Covenant control is weakest here. Belgrimyr is vital to the Triskaian economy, though, because of its function as a trade centre. During the summer, Belgrimyr is busier than any other Triskaian cities (at the peak time just after rainy season, it hosts more traffic than all other ports combined). But because of its placement so far south, it is subject to the most intense storms and harshest winters. The city virtually shuts down throughout the cold months, and merchant ships either travel up to Belennishe or bypass Triskaia altogether. Belphedras - This is the newest city in the Covenant, founded around the year 60 MTC. After the war with Parsica had left much of the land in southern Triskaia in ruins, they expanded their border northwards into the sunny plains along the River Norwyngard. Belphedras was founded at the tip of the new territory. It is still a young city, and features a lot less of the heavy stonework popular in southern cities. It is a popular trade destination, and generally features a much more diverse and international population than any of the other urban centres. Religious Places Altars - There are three altars arranged in a triangle across the country. The Altar of Bellatrix is located on the highest peak of the Belcanus Mountains, the Altar of Belladonna is located in the darkest, most terrifying reaches of the Dunwick Forest, and the Altar of Beleza is placed somewhere in a labrynthian cave and catacomb system near Belwraith. No one knows for sure what these altars look like or what purpose they serve, because only Witch-Priests can visit them. But they are rumoured to be the resting places of the bodies of each Witch. Some people think that the altar is a fountain of blood, that spews forth unceasingly. Nonymburh (Nameless Place) - This is a monument far older than anything else in Triskaia (except perhaps the Wyrwoods). It is a terrifying tower-like structure that seems large enough to have an interior, but no one has ever found the means to get inside. There is also a smaller tower, topped with a flameless torch that glows forever red. Waterfalls splash onto rocks in the summer, and freeze into sublime ice sculptures in the winter. This is where the last cycle ended, and the new one began. The ancestors of the Triskaians blinked into existence at this spot, and were faced with a horde of terrifying demon creatures. Though the Coven succeeded in destroying the demons, no other life has ever returned to this spot. It functions as a sight of religious pilgrimage on very special occasions, but a sense of doom still hangs over it. The tower remains, as enigmatic as ever.